


thought i could fly (so i stepped off the golden)

by sugarsanayeonie



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Magic, Angst, F/F, Fluff, Light Angst, Magic, Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-29
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:41:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24979339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugarsanayeonie/pseuds/sugarsanayeonie
Summary: In a divided world, an all-powerful sorceress steps out of line. Sent to another land as a punishment for great treason, she loses her abilities in need of redemption. Along the way, she comes stumbling into the arms of a level-headed warrior in training.OrThe former, a cunning woman who got stripped of the one constant in her power-hungry life. The latter, much more reserved, and an obedient fighter.Both seeking an outlet to something worthwhile, what they find along the way, is much greater.
Relationships: Chou Tzuyu/Im Nayeon, Hirai Momo/Minatozaki Sana, Im Nayeon/Myoui Mina, Kim Dahyun/Son Chaeyoung, Park Jisoo | Jihyo/Yoo Jeongyeon
Kudos: 35





	1. The Stranded

—

This wasn’t what was supposed to happen. She’s supposed to be rewarded, putting everything on the line for a great cause. And Nayeon thought it was spectacular. Indeed, she does.

Instead of a fruitful banquet, the Greats praising her efforts with cheers to their aged ale and her fellow sorceresses spreading banter at the wide oak table, they’ve abandoned her. Cast her aside like an old toy, only to be used when convenient. 

Utter betrayal. The forsaken memory of the Greats’ grand hall, tree-like thrones stood side by side, and her skin emitting the sweltering heat of a thousand suns, cling to the corners of Nayeon’s mind. Leaving a disgusting stain etched into her chest.

She could never be in the wrong. Her work has proved so plenty of times. They’re fools, blinded by the scriptures of the righteous good, cowering at the sight of true greatness. 

—

Nayeon unsheathes her long sword, loosely studying it with heavy eyes before treading deeper into the wood. 

The only reminder that she was once as fierce as warriors come.

She’s heard horse-stable stories about the Elder Plane. Where the Greats go and banish line-stepping hooligans and powerful evils for cruel and unspeakable acts. It’d never crossed her mind she’d be here for eternity. Or however long it takes to redeem herself.

Inching closer toward a statue hugged with overgrown vegetation, Nayeon begins to set up camp near the riverbed. A permanent home? Maybe. 

Out of instinct, she straightens her arm, trying to channel some sort of energy from her core. Eyebrows furrowing in concentration, she reaches for a stable connection. At the lack of any result, she lets out a frustrated grunt, hurling her weapon into the clear waters.

This is going to be a long day.

—

It smells of burning log, the ember crackles and spits, sparks dissipating into nothing as it illuminates only a portion of Nayeon’s makeshift hut. 

She’s always liked fire. More specifically, her own and its destructive capability to reduce anything or anyone to nothing but a heap of ash. She misses the blanket of warmth conjured by the flick of her very hand, the mere motion sending countless warriors to their knees - or to their graves.

She was invincible.

Where did it all go wrong?

Nayeon’s lids droop for a final time, head resting against the hardened bark of the base’s spruce. 

She sleeps well tonight. The first in a long while.

—

Colossal skyscrapers of the evergreen stretch into the vast aurora of the night skies. As ancient as they are, age only seems to strengthen its bounds from its roots, ingrained into the changing earth. 

Within the natural mass, it may as well assist those of which want to stay out of sight, and shall they.

For opposite the grassy riverbank, a tunic-clad figure secretly observes an unusual glow from a hut that definitely wasn’t there earlier. 

—

“Give it back, you animal-“

The sorceress awakens to the feeling of her personal space being invaded, the incessant tugging of her tousled hair disrupting her much needed rest. She isn’t too far off, as an invasion of a nest of fluffy beings intrude onto her incredibly limited food stock. One in particular, happens to be exceptionally greedy. 

As she’s screaming indecencies to the poor thing, still engaging in a tug-of-war over a singular carrot, the rest took it as an opportunity to bugger off. Leaving their brother - or sister (?) (Nayeon doesn’t specialise in creatures beyond the Wall) - behind.

Loosening her grip, she sighs in defeat allowing the furry creature the honor of indulging in Nayeon’s rations. 

“Just take it.” Grumbling into her knees, hugging her legs close to her chest. 

Giving up a fight to a lowly species isn’t something she’d usually do back home. 

(If she could even call it that. More a place of mighty competition, each individual striving to surpass only the best, than it is a sheltered place of comfort.)

Although her mentors did mention that the outside lands change people, Nayeon still thinks it’s all a bunch of balderdash. 

The long-eared being takes notice of this and huddles up to her.

Stilling at the unexpected action, Nayeon studies the odd creature to be somewhat passive and runs a hesitant hand through its soft fur.

“You got left behind, huh?” It nuzzles itself into the silken fabric of Nayeon’s ripped up robes. 

Nayeon had a preference of working in solitude. There were too many complications and variables of the possibilities of having an incompetent apprentice by her side, disrupting a perfectly zeroed-in environment. Soon enough every sorcerer knew of her strange working conditions and only a trespassing idiot would face her dire consequences.

But she wasn’t always like that.

She figures it’s only the lack of companionship she’s experienced throughout her work that’s enabling her to act like.. this. 

It’s not weak. 

She’s not weak.

“I guess that makes the both of us.”

—

“You’re not serious, are you?” 

“What good would dishonesty bring?”

Amongst the drizzle of rainfall silenced by the confines of their eating quarters, sound clusters of loquacious cadets eagerly awaiting Captain Park’s next orders. 

The bravest of which blabber sequences of insider’s gossip of a realm known as ‘the Wall’, although they’re all aware of their leaders’ strict rules of rumor spreading, while the rest being Tzuyu and Chaeyoung, would rather stray from the knowledge of a higher force.

Which leads them to this little argument of theirs at this very moment.

“I’m _telling_ you, I saw what I saw!” She slams her cup on the flimsy, wooden table a little too hard, causing all the cadets to glance blankly at the source of the noise. “My apologies, everyone! Cup.. thing..”

Ignoring surrounding looks, Chaeyoung’s face only contorts, holding even more confusion. “So.. someone just happens to _intrude_ the southern side of the Elder Plane?” She continues, voice lowered.

“I’m aware of how delusional I sound, Chaeng, but-“

“We’re hidden, Dubs. What you’re saying is simply impossible. Tell her, Tzuyu.” Chaeyoung nudges said girl with her arm, disturbing her as she almost gets in a spoonful of her meal. 

Before she gets even a single word in, they’re interrupted by a booming voice.

“Cadets!” Captain Park’s volume is enough to total the cabin. Every cadet straightens in their seat, eyes all set on the intimidating woman.

Despite being far too used to their captain droning their daily briefings, the woman never lets up the same unbreakable aura, slicing through the room with the ability to shatter the immovable.

“Chou, a word.” The entirety of the cabin already filing out, Captain Park pulls the young warrior aside.

—

“What?!” 

“Keep it down, Chae.” Hushing the girl down with both hands on her shoulders.

Now emptied out, the stranded tool-handling quarters serves as a free-for-all deposit of such weapons for cadets ranging from all sorts of purposes, whether it may be combative, constructional or simple repairs.

Taking advantage of this, the trio makes the best of the cabin full of still-functional supplies they’ve been blessed with.

“I told you guys, my eyes never deceive me.” Beaming with pride, Dahyun wiggles her brows in glee.

“Please, this isn’t a subject to jest about.” They go mute at the words, Tzuyu sighing before she relays further. “Captain just told me to go about this as a _potential threat_.”

The cadets know how seriously they should be taking direct orders from Captain Park.

The woman had only transferred a couple of years back when Tzuyu were still junior trainees. Yet she’d laid an immense impact on them, especially Tzuyu. Her first impression definitely spooked most of the trainees, but they’d soon realise the Captain’s strictness came from a relatively good place, provided the fact she’d actually brought them to the far side of the island - a secret cove home to the longest waterfall dive known to their kind - to dive with the creatures of the sea after a gruesome week of relentless training.

Besides the rare occasions of their getaways, she’d also never fail to reassure the cadets of their own importance in the team. Leadership seems almost natural to the woman. Without the need to remind themselves of her authority, that’s exactly what placed the respect she very much deserved in her person. 

She’s more than a superior, they recognized her as a mentor.

And that’s why Tzuyu felt the strong need to do each mission right.

Already beginning to hoard the cabin an adequate amount, Dahyun places a hand in the small of Tzuyu’s back, feeling her flinch at the touch.

“By ‘me’, you mean _us_.” Both her friends are sporting matching smirks, obviously attempting to contain their internal excitement. 

Tzuyu already knows there’s really no point in stopping them.

“Obviously.” 

—

Nayeon finds it rather ironic.

She sought peace through harvesting in her garden. That’s where her obsession with tampering with the untamperable began after all. Nayeon finds the beauty in her own interpretation of alchemy. Her friends acknowledged it as a hobby. The Greats recognized it as a gift.

Well, they _did_.

Part of being a former member of the elite and proportionally most feared graced her with the tempted spot on a pedestal. With that sacred position came power, and with that, a sacrifice.

If only she’d known the cost.

If there’s one aspect of Nayeon’s life she could get back before it was _gruesomely_ taken away from her - besides the no-brainer being her abilities - it would be no other than to take one last look at the place where it all started.

Taking away that, Nayeon could never forgive them.

—

_“Mina-ya!”_

_“Nayeon-unnie, where are you?”_

_The 13-year-old fabricates from thin air, astonishing the younger in a trance._

_“A transportation spell?” The latter asks wide-eyed.  
“But those teachings aren’t allowed for us yet, unnie.”_

_Nayeon’s never one for rules. Much less those restricting her from learning advanced spells._

_“I really don’t see the problem,” Sparks fly from the very palm of Nayeon’s hand, circling around the cauldron’s rim. “What’s the point of having abilities if I don’t get to use them?”_

_“It could be dangerous.” An eyebrow raise and Mina’s hand to her arm is all it takes for Nayeon’s actions to pause for a split second._

_Nayeon tosses a reassuring grin to the girl. “I’m extremely careful, Mina.”_

_“Okay then,” Mina lets her do what she wants, adding pinches of whatever strange bioluminescent powder she had in a wooden ramekin into the swirling concoction, then turning on her heel, she stops under the classroom’s doorway, letting herself get a last word through._

_“What if one day you aren’t able to use your abilities? What then?”_

_Nayeon doesn’t bat an eye._

—

Maybe Mina had a point back then.

—

Nayeon’s cursing ensues the tighter the grip of the entrapping vines on her limbs with every harsh movement.

Completely restrained, Nayeon rapidly skims through her available options. 

In a normal situation, she’d easily be able to paralyze and dismember any type of botanical specimen such as the one maintaining her in a physical struggle.

_Think, Nayeon, think._

—

“Do you think it could be a spy sent from the Wall? A means of figuring out our greatest secrets?” 

A bundle of theories spill from Dahyun’s mouth, as the trio scope the regions straying their camp, fleet of foot. No strangers are they to their own grounds, giving them an edge to the element of surprise to which their current mission may be of use.

“The Wall doesn’t exist. It is but a children’s tale.”

With the forest growing denser as thick trunks seem to intertwine with one another, Tzuyu only sees the bare sunlight if she squints. 

Chaeyoung takes wary glances at the moving shadows. “Clearly we don’t know that for sure.” 

The supernatural in their case was only to the viewing and experiencing pleasure of the older generation of wanderers. Younger Dahyun, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu understood this well enough to be able to come up with their own conclusions as to what could hypothetically lie. 

One of them just happened to take it a step further, tinkering with foreign objects as if they were children’s toys although they looked nothing like wooden toy horses or makeshift slingshots the kids back then had. No, Dahyun indeed took interest in the extraordinary.

Her knowledge of such tech had developed at such a young age, there was even a point in which Tzuyu and Chaeyoung had advised against it, only wanting to protect their friend from further harm of their superiors.

They knew she was hardheaded and rather stubborn, often paying no heed to caution, and so most of their efforts had resulted in none. It was soon after when their superiors had spotted a 12-year-old Dahyun experimenting with magnets and coils of metal in an abandoned shaft when they’d dubbed her unforeseen skills to be a talent in the making. But Dahyun really isn’t much for attention anyway.

Their steps slow into a soundless creep, Tzuyu holding a hand up in swift motion.

“Quiet.”

Accompanied by a low growl follows a chilling shriek, echoing with the congested wood.

—

At this point, Nayeon’s just given up. The plant hybrid doesn’t show any signs of hostility and just seems like it wants to play with an especially ticked-off sorceress, juggling her from one vine-arm to another. 

This is what she’s been reduced to. A plaything. For a botanical creature. 

It surely can’t get any worse than this.

“Begone, plant!”

An arrow flings by, nearly grazing Nayeon’s cheek but hitting a fatal spot on the hybrid, causing it to drop the sorceress and plummet 15 feet.

However, instead of coming in painful contact with the cold, dried up soil below her, Nayeon lands in the arms of a.. woman.

Wasting no second to set her down on her feet, the woman sends a few more arrows flying, driving the wretched creature off into the distance.

One by one, each of their unreadable gazes land upon the sorceress. 

—

Binding Nayeon’s wrists up in several knots of tied rope, the warrior sporting short, pink locks speaks first.

“What’s your business? You don’t look like you’re from around here.” Broadsword in hand, she inches closer, piercing eyes never faltering. 

Nayeon’s been in sticky situations like these in the past. Plenty of sorcerers and sorceresses she’s crossed show face with menacing tongue and domineering actions. 

Simply put, this pipsqueak doesn’t faze her in the slightest. She meets her eyes with a similar bite, lips curling into a grin.

“Why, I’m only passing by. Is that so wrong of me?”

Although Nayeon’s shins are being scraped by the dry leaves underneath, she fails to hide a snort at the height difference she faintly remembers between her and the pinkie, from a few inches taller on Nayeon’s end to now a full 4 feet at her sitting height. 

“I don’t buy it for a second.” Her weapon lifts to Nayeon’s chin, studying her as if it would give her answers. Her smirk only widens.

Of course at this point she’s just getting bored. Figures its their first time questioning an outsider, in turn making her ponder on how their magic actually managed to get through to a land nobody back at home knew little to nothing about.

“It’s quite rude to accuse someone who’d just been attacked, don’t you agree?”

There’s a hand on the pinkie’s shoulder and she softens. It’s the taller woman. The one who saved Nayeon from a horrid fall. 

They share a passing look and the shorter understands, stepping back to let her take the lead.

“Hello there.” 

“Are you a spy?” Nayeon’s expression immediately sours. 

The bleak atmosphere is _killing_ her. 

Cocking her head to the side, she quips some more. “Skipping formalities already?” The woman’s features only harden. “And I thought we were just getting friendly.”

“Speak, intruder. Or would you rather answer to our superiors?” 

The repetitive questions send a yawn surging up Nayeon’s throat. Don’t peasants know how to get a little more creative?

“These _superiors_ of yours sound like wonderful people.” 

Still wearing an unwavering expression, the woman calls over the pinkie and the blondie. “Indeed, they are. They’d be delighted to have you.”

Getting captured as quickly as being put in irks Nayeon, but she knows there’s a bigger game to play. A larger, more fulfilling prize at the centre of the vault. 

The blondie pulls out a vial of gray dust, sprinkling a pinch over Nayeon’s head while murmuring a short “Sorry” through an apologetic smile.

Where in the many realms of hell did they obtain stardust?

“Sleep tight.”

Then the world goes black.

—

They manage to make it back to the camp before dusk, the scatter of burning torches at the base illuminating just enough. 

A few baffled cadets accompany them on the way, queries floating around of how the mysterious intruder made it into the enforced Elder Plane. Unlike her comrades, Tzuyu stays mum, cursing inwardly at the surprising weight of the unconscious body draped over her. 

“Do you need help, Tzuyu?” A few cadets gather around the newly-arrived trio.

“I’ve got this, don’t worry.” She replies, slightly caught off guard.

“Tzuyu, amazing job.” A raven-haired cadet nudges her side.

“T-thank you, unnie.”

“Dahyunnie’s so cute!” The comment rings out into Dahyun’s ears, which soon turn beet red. The blonde woman even goes out of her way to throw a deadly wink in her direction. “Chaeyoungie, are you hungry? Can I treat you for dinner?” 

Sana swoops in out of nowhere, eyeing the two cadets, a predator in the wild. She’s sure her friends have gotten used to it by now but Tzuyu’s one to be typically wary of the flirtatious blonde.

Attention is never Tzuyu’s strong suit, though her little group drew it quite often.

Being the youngest three in the entire squad, it certainly set some expectations on the trio. And looking for every opportunity to prove themselves is no easy feat.

Despite all that, her squad members respect them regardless. Of course babying them from time to time as typical unnies do.

Kindly returning the various compliments, it’s not long before they’re greeted with the camp’s main grounds. They’re bombarded with the cooling warmth, the once grassy greens casually blending in with a glowing sheet of tinted yellows, highlighting the faintest surfaces. All of which surrounds a dark, brown oak at the center of the flourishing hues, hollowed out into a haven for their businesses.

“Well, _you_ look exhausted.” The raven-haired unnie from earlier directs a concerned look at the younger, inspecting the darkened bags under her eyes. “Are you.. not in need of any assistance, Tzuyu?”

Walking alongside the cadet, she tries making light chat, already knowing of her burdens as one of their captain’s errand-girls. 

Tzuyu's features soften, immediately sensing Momo’s comforting tone. One she’s heard only when the elder holds great concern. Especially reserved for Tzuyu, Momo tends to keep a close eye on the girl, subconsciously looking out for her from afar.

In Tzuyu’s eyes, she’s easily the most protective of her compared with the rest of her older squad members. 

“Thank you, unnie, but there’s really no need. I’m alright.” A shy grin enforcing her sentence draws an understanding nod from the woman.

They walk in null silence, two pairs of boots at the head of the line rustle the fallen, orange gradient of the leaves. Momo begins to part her lips, aching to get a word out of the void.

A pink-locked blur dashes by and beats her to it.

“Tzuyu, would you like to join us for dinner when you’re finished dealing with..” Chaeyoung awkwardly motions to the now-snoring intruder upon whom she is uncomfortably resting her head against the back of Tzuyu’s neck at a weird angle. “It’s Sana-unnie’s treat.”

Caught in the faint background, the mentioned cadet’s in a _touchy_ situation with none other than one of her very own best - if not one of the only two she has - friend. 

Glancing back at Momo, the girl only shrugs. 

If not for the numbing pain embedded into her spine, she’d wouldn’t mind at all. An alleviating dinner with her squad would be Tzuyu’s first choice any day, except she’d much rather recharge in her snug bedding tonight.

“Sorry, Chaeyoung, maybe not tonight.” The girl’s incredibly understanding however, giving Tzuyu a reassuring pat on the arm and a ‘Rest up. You’ll need it tomorrow, Tzu’, before allowing a relieved Dahyun and a bouncy Sana to catch up and continue the walk together.

—

Going their separate ways after dropping off the unconscious woman to the captains’ quarters for interrogation the next day, Tzuyu makes her way to her own cabin. Luckily enough, she’s a good distance away from their village’s main square, allowing herself to bask in the peace and quietness.

A brisk crackle along the deserted path behind her raises Tzuyu’s defenses, thinking it could be someone stalking or creeping up on her-

She comes face to furry-face with a curious rabbit. 

An exhale of relief washes over her, crouching down to pet it gently. It reciprocates lovingly, nuzzling her hand.

It’s.. kind of cute actually. She experiences a weird wave of resemblance to something, but she immediately brushes it off, bringing her newfound friend inside with her.

Come to think of it, it’s been a while since Tzuyu’s seen rabbits in these areas of the plane.

—

One of the land’s many moons cast its rays far brighter tonight, projecting lifelike, dancing images among the still night, mirages only giving birth to those who dare look carefully enough.

The blueish spirits are not to be distrubed, Tzuyu knows that much. Truthfully, she has yet to control the urge of silently observing such fantastical beings with childish glee, as they make a cozy home out of her moonlit cabin.

By her side, her furry, little friend seems just as intrigued by their tiny guests as the warrior, restlessness unceasing.

A warmth creeps its way into the crevices of Tzuyu’s heart.

—

In a colder cabin, although same in shape and size, is a brooding sorceress. 

They were kind enough to bring a change of garments for the woman, plain leather tunic paired with loose-fitted bottoms contrasting significantly from the robes she once wore with dignity and great honour.

Instead, they’re discarded within the painted shadows of the four walls, Nayeon fighting back a distasteful scowl. 

She’s not powerless.

She knows she’s not.

A sudden glint appears as a flash in her peripheral. 

Familiar senses return to the sorceress as she stares soulessly into the tormenting ember, kindling singeing into a black char little by little, inevitably being wholly consumed into absolute nothingness. 

Looking back, all her accomplishments had spoken for themselves with shiny embellishments to her name, and chants of approval from the public. 

In all honesty, she isn’t quite sure what drove her to the point of no return.

Competition was meaningless if you’re already the best.

Embellishments wear out the more people dangle them in your face.

Yet on that fateful day, it looked like she had so much to prove, but so little of herself was truly in the heart of it.

Perhaps, she too is on a static timer. Unknowingly numbing herself into an absolute state, unable to find a fulfilling satisfaction in her work. 

Nayeon’s not powerless.

But she can’t help but feel like she is.


	2. The Intruder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tzuyu’s tasked with a difficult responsibility  
> Nayeon hatches a plan  
> Dahyun’s intrigued  
> Chaeyoung’s smells something suspicious

—

“She serves no threat.”

Captain Park isn’t one to make personal visits for any sort of occasion. Knowing this as the captain shows up at her door in the midday, sends Tzuyu’s train of countless thoughts only naturally assumes the worst.

For once she wishes she wasn’t right.

“Captain, my comrades and I-“

“Cadets Son and Kim, I suppose?” There’s a lack of surprise in the captain’s tone.

“That’s correct,” Tzuyu recalls the woman in dashing robes, those of which resembling a successor from a royal bloodline. “We doubt the intruder could be trusted. She-“

“Our suspicions walk the same path, I assure you,” Holding a hand up to silence the cadet, the corners of the captain’s lips quirk upwards. “Which is why I ask this much of you.”

Her favouritism toward Tzuyu isn’t exactly as subtle as the cadet had hoped it to be, however it isn’t ill-placed. Captain Park values every member of her team as their own individuals, setting each young warrior up for specifically unique tasks. Tough love is fairly common with her leading the enthusiastic trainees.

But when it comes to Tzuyu, the woman’s stone cold demeanor shifts, unseen to passing eyes. 

Giving her time to get into more suitable attire, the two make their way to what appears to be a spare cabin at the edge of the camp. 

Tzuyu recognizes it well, albeit looking almost identical to all the other cabins in their area, the giveaway being it’s supposed isolation toward the rest. 

Almost immediately, she visualizes a miniature Dahyun in a fit of crazed laughter, chasing around a roughed up Chaeyoung. Guessing each other’s next move, they each fake a left, bursting into wide-mouthed smiles and giggles. She’s not too far behind herself, tailing her friends with the brightest expression, dimples digging deep into her cheeks. 

Unknowingly, the corners of her own lips tug at the fondness of the moment.

It’s bittersweet, remembering the last time she felt that free.

She’s snapped out of her reverie as she realises her captain’s already at the door, gently motioning for an entranced Tzuyu to her side.

—

At least they didn’t keep her in shackles.

Fortunately for her, she’s barely treated like a prisoner. Just earlier this morning, Nayeon was visited by a friendly duo of warriors carrying a tray of a hearty meal. A splendid surprise, indeed.

Not only that, but one of them were nice enough to engage in a delightful conversation with the sorceress, the attractive blonde keenly enlightening the woman a little too much about herself and her partner - as Nayeon soon learned was the raven-haired warrior staring her down with a dubious glower at the other end of the room.

Unfortunately for her, she’s now met with the lovely woman who knocked her out cold the noon before. 

Short in stature, the bob-haired woman is the first to greet Nayeon.

“Pleased to see you’ve awoken,” Briefly taking a glance at the emptied food tray, she connects firm, brown eyes with the sorceress’, “Enjoying your stay?”

Playing at Nayeon’s lips is an amused smirk, although the woman appears to notice her gaze carrying a grim undertone, arching an odd brow.

“It’s pleasant so far.” Nayeon takes a second to catch a lingering leer from the familiar standing aside. “Although, I’m _yearning_ to know the identity of my captor.”

The captain turns to the girl’s direction, timing overlapping with the cadet stiffening her features at the sorceress. “This is Chou.”

“Shall you be acquainted with one another.” The cadet swiftly swivels her head toward the captain. If Nayeon’s reading her correctly, she too is uncertain of where she’s going with her words. However, the woman sounds incredibly sure of herself. “She’ll be taking care of your person for the time being.”

A perfect understatement would be to say that Nayeon is having scenes of sheer jubilation at the jinxed situation of the cadet before her. Running a tongue over the roof of her mouth, she fails to smother a low hum.

“With all due respect, Captain-”

The person in question only darts a look this ‘ _Chou_ ’ shows signs of knowing far too well, its effect being understood promptly. 

“You’ll begin as soon as possible, Chou,” Her superior turns at the heel, giving a commanding look over her shoulder. “Do not disappoint me.” 

Dust flies at every angle, a collateral as the plank doors shut close. 

—

If Tzuyu’s able to use any word in her vernacular to describe the atmosphere in that very room, it would be.. suffocating.

“Mayhaps if you’d stop scowling, you’d look much cuter, _Chou_.” The brunette she’d found - and captured - in the depths of the unending forest is now clad in her camp’s casual attire, head being supported by a lazy arm. 

Inhaling a slow breath, her brows droop from its originally tensed state. Clearly not interested in entertaining this woman, she fights back the urge to roll her eyes and strides to the cabin’s entrance, stopping at the stubby doorway as the woman decides to spit out a sentence.

“I must say, if you hate me that much, you could’ve just refused.” There’s no hurt in her tone, but it’s irritatingly indecipherable for Tzuyu to piece together. 

She blurts it out without thinking. “I do not hate you.” There isn’t a single delay in her facial expression, still as unreadable as earlier. Aside from her weight shifting to her left from where she rests on the dried hay bale, a telltale sign is fairly difficult to spot. “I simply don’t find you as innocent as you put forth.” Tzuyu finishes with a huff.

It’s no surprise her guard is as high up as she wants it to be. The less people who see through her, the better. As advantageous as it is for the most part, she admits it often unintentionally causes a few misconceptions among others, keeping themselves at bay from the youngest, lest they be spited. An impenetrable barrier built up from the roots of the persona she’s maintained all through the years, perchance.

Threatening to hold a candle to her efforts, the very person in the midst of the small cabin space attempts to hollow a lasting dent within the untraversable.

Said person gets up on her feet, dusting off stray hairs of hay off her pants before linking Tzuyu with honey-brown irises. 

The poorly-fitted tunic makes no means of properly covering up her pale shoulder, an ink marking of a foreign symbol dancing atop the edge of her collarbone. 

Asserting steps reach a deafening pause in front of Tzuyu’s person. 

“Despite what you may think,” She discerns a _damned_ smirk in her reduced tone as her lips hone into Tzuyu’s ear. “Many before have said those exact words, _Chou_.”

The nonexistent proximity between the two almost makes Tzuyu stagger. 

Almost.

Suddenly retreating a pace, she disregards the burning crescents on her palm as she unclenches her fists. She doesn’t notice how heavily her breath picks up, muscles in her jaw twitching. 

As for the latter, she acts as if nothing had occurred, already beginning to tend to a nearby bookshelf, searching while she bent down with a thoughtful finger on her chin.

The sorceress clicks her tongue in frustration. “Your people don’t appear to possess any extracts on distillation.” Pulling a dusty, hard-covered book from the discoloured shelf, she turns it over, inspecting it idly.

Tzuyu swears she’s heard that term before. Dahyun’s definitely one to go on a tangent of hypotheticals of the other-wordly. “Distillation?”

She and Chaeyoung aren’t as passionate as the blonde cadet about lands outside the confines of their tiny land. However, the sudden arrival of the strange woman strikes a chord in Tzuyu’s system. And she’d be lying if she said she isn’t the slightest bit fascinated as well.

Her chin juts up to face the girl standing dormant beside the doorstep. “Alchemical transformation. You know.. magic.”

A furrowing brow paired with a scrunched nose indicates Tzuyu’s solid cluelessness with no fault.

“It’s hard to believe you’ve never heard of such, honestly.” If she’s not mistaken, there’s an evident sharpness in her pupils. One that wasn’t there a while ago. “It’s the core of my people.” Delicately running a hand down the literature’s weathered spine, she goes tight-lipped.

_Her people._

It almost slips her mind that she’s an intruder. Someone who purposefully crossed an uncrossable boundary. 

And yet this woman supposedly brings no imminent danger.

There’s a trace of pity in Tzuyu’s gut. To be away from people she holds so dearly would be so tragically painful.

Tzuyu takes an unspoken invitation to inch nearer to the woman, solving a tricky question hanging inside the storm of her head. 

A moment of vulnerability is soon replaced by the latter’s nearly mechanical, strong facade. 

“Tell me,” Her attention is now fully directed at the doe-eyed cadet, abruptly snapping the book shut with a single hand. “Do you know what true power is?”

—

Tzuyu’s head is far up among the clouds.

Mentally making a note of bringing the so-called intruder her dinner, Tzuyu decides to spend as much of her remaining peace of mind left with her fellow peers.

Recalling the questionable conversation she’d just partaken in, Tzuyu pokes at the dark greens in her bowl.

_‘Do you know what true power is?’_

She doesn’t realise her forehead creasing the more intensely she scavenges for possible answers, starting to think she’s developed her unnie’s tendency for exploring the impossible.

That is until her daze is called out by her particularly bored friend. 

“Were you listening to what I said?” Chaeyoung drawls with a yawn while Dahyun peeks up at their interaction, stirring her tasteless, porridge mix.

(Chaeyoung insists there’s no flavour whatsoever, but she argues that it is indeed a nutritious dinner.)

“Sorry?”

The shorter of the trio huffs rather audibly through her nose, wearing a disappointing pout toward the taller. “Dahyun here, believes there’s been a shift in _time and space_.” She emphasizes the last part with air quotes, the subject in question lifting a once porridge-submerged spoon and points it at the girl. 

“Not time and space, per se, but I sensed a disturbance in the natural order of our land.”   
The cutlery in her grasp waves distractingly in the air, a peeved Chaeyoung snatches it away but not before doing collateral damage on Tzuyu’s tunic. 

Tzuyu makes quick work of it, borrowing a clean napkin off the side of Chaeyoung’s tray and scrubbing her affected areas. 

The stain remains, though it isn’t all that noticeable due to the low illumination the eating quarters regularly emit. 

Clicking her tongue, Dahyun shakes it off with an eye roll, continuing with her bizarre phenomena. “Anyway, it was like a squirrel tickling my insides. I just _felt_ it.”

“Are you certain it wasn’t your _revolting_ lunch?” Chaeyoung quips through a mouthful of pickled beets. 

That earns a definite slap to her arm. “Quit it, Chaeng, I’m serious!”

Tzuyu always witnesses the two battling one another out since she’s met them. Whether it be wholesomely playful, where they dish out harmless banter and antics that any other person would find absolutely repulsive, or straight up duelling during training, always making sure each comes out unscathed. 

It’s endearing in its own special way. 

As non-affectionate as they seem, Tzuyu discovers how Chaeyoung’s eyes sparkle whenever Dahyun gets a little too excited over taking in a new creature from the outskirts of the Elder Plane, bringing them to the village to play with the kids. Or how Dahyun’s smile grows the tiniest bit wider when Chaeyoung gifts the girl her own self-made paintings for the most random occasions.

Alas, much to Tzuyu’s dismay, some people are chosen to wear a blindfold.

“What about you Tzuyu? Any squirrells of yours messing about with your insides?” 

A distinct image of a certain prisoner of hers comes itching into her thoughts, a glimpse of the mischievous pearly whites matching her uncanny similarity to the choice of animal in question.

This time it’s Dahyun who surveys the girl once more. “You’re really out of it today, aren’t you? Did.. something else occur?”

“It’s nothing, Dahyun-unnie.” Quickly dismissing the question, her friend only arches a brow, obviously not buying it. “Just not my day today, I guess.”

“Oh, but it was most eventful, wouldn’t you say? We ran into a foreigner! A rather gorgeous one at that!” Chaeyoung’s cheerful voice rings out, Dahyun tilting a frown. 

“I’m taking care of her now.” 

Silence.

“Pardon?”

“What?”

—

Tzuyu’s cautious of Chaeyoung’s hung-open mouth, worrying a fly might make its way inside. Dahyun’s only concealing an unmistakable laugh. 

“Like a punishment?” 

“Of sorts.” She replies unaffected. It’d be good for her mental health not to speak about the dreaded person in question after learning she’d be staying by her side for a probable amount of.. most of her days to come.

“No, I don’t think that’s the case. Captain just wants to teach you a lesson.”

“That’s.. what a punishment is.” Chaeyoung’s halfway done with her meal by the time her mouth had stopped gaping.

“No I mean,” Attention now focused on the girl opposite her, Tzuyu looks up. Chaeyoung does the same. “She’s not from here _obviously_ -”

“We’ve established that. Now, your point?”

Dahyun’s spoon clinks on the side of her half-empty bowl. “Let me _finish_. I’m saying, if we play our cards right, she’d be able to tell us about her world beyond the Elder Plane.” 

There’s a silence. Both Chaeyoung and Tzuyu exchange uncertain glances, eyes widening at a simultaneous realisation. 

“But-”

“Hear me out, Chaeng.” Taking a hold of the girl’s tiny hands, Dahyun’s orbs meet with hers, staring into them with wonder. “We’ve been stuck here for so long. Haven’t you ever wondered if the tales.. weren’t _tales_.”

“Instead.. _real_ things that happened.” Tzuyu finishes her sentence in hesitation.

Dahyun lights up at her contribution, hands leaving Chaeyoung’s limp grasp. 

“See, Tzuyu gets it.” 

“Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to get to know about where she really came from.”

Chaeyoung exhales. Loudly.

“You’re taking us.”

“Hm?”

“You’re taking us with you next time. Dahyun and I.” 

Tzuyu expects Dahyun to be bouncing out of her seat by now, but she’s barely reacting the way she had in mind. 

There’s a hint of pride hidden in the glint of her irises, along with an affectionate glimpse.

She already knows who it’s directed to.

—

“Oh, it’s you two again.” There’s a fake amusement in her tone, eyeing the cadets that just waltzed into her temporary abode. “Hello again, Chou.” 

“Greetings.” Monotonous tone arising, she simply avoids clashing with Nayeon, scooting her way to the calf-height oaken table as she sets down a tray of greens, bread and a type of meat. “Eat. We’ve work to do tomorrow.”

Nayeon pulls up a chair, dragging it across fallen strands of hay on the floor as the other two, standing by the door, silently observe the interaction. “You are saying that I must do work as your _servant_?”

Surely nothing can be worse than being exiled from your home land and be forced under the hand of a mere _underling_ such as the woman before Nayeon.

It’s as if her thoughts are being heavily studied under the girl’s piercing gaze. “You are working to make yourself useful during your temporary stay.”

Nayeon definitely thinks that uptight people are _no fun at all_. 

On another note, she’d never seen such vibrant vegetation on a single platter in her life. Truthfully, it’s an uplifting change from the limited and utterly tasteless staple of her homeland.

“Your people have an interesting variety in nourishment.” Nayeon inspects the plate with a fork lifted under the greens and poking the sides of the toasted bread. “ _Intriguing_.”

The archer glances over at her friends who have now moved toward the woman, appearing just as puzzled as she. Nayeon takes a mouthful on her fork as she crunches down on the food. “I’ve been meaning to ask your comrades from breakfast about these.”

She was secretly hoping to get a little more inside information on how their little system works around the Elder Plane, hopefully to find a means of escaping the wretched place. Unfortunately for her the ‘ _breakfast cadets_ ’ - as she humorlessly names the blonde and the raven-haired girls from earlier - didn’t seem so keen on sharing too much about their land, as naive as Nayeon had initially thought they were.

“You mean lettuce?” Although with the acknowledgement from Nayeon, her keen eyes meet with a blonde cadet’s as she continues. “Are you to say you don’t have any of these where you’re from?”

‘ _Chou_ ’ fails to hide a lilted frown at the question. As if she’s the one who‘s affected by a reminder of her _now-past_ life. The _audacity_ , Nayeon thinks. “Well, it’s complicated. We sorcerers value convenience and efficiency. Partaking in any sort of time-wasting activities such as indulging in _dinner or lunch_ is looked down upon.” 

“You don’t eat?” It’s almost adorable to Nayeon how surprise looks on the blonde’s face.

“Not in the way one would suppose.” Leaving the cadet hanging on a string, she sets the empty plate down and stares down the tall archer once more. 

“Is she always this tense?” The subject in question stiffens at the words directed to her, holding back a scoff at the sorceress.

Being someone who experiments quite often due to her line of work, Nayeon had always loved looking for answers to the unsolved. The adventure hidden between the lines and not to mention the _deadly_ risk factor - be it figuratively or not - plays a deep part in Nayeon’s self-proclaimed, complex character. 

Eyeing the archer standing a few feet from where she’s sat, Nayeon can’t help but naturally implement several theories and assumptions based on her alone. Not to say the cadet was a challenging brain-teaser for her, but Nayeon _adores_ the thrill of playing with a challenge. 

“You mean Tzuyu? Quite a lot, actually.” It’s the pink-haired shortie’s turn to speak as Nayeon beams maliciously, learning a little more about her captor-turned-guardian.

On-the-fence pleasantries didn’t last for much longer as a cadet storms in and ushers Tzuyu’s comrades out of her hut in the emergency of a peculiar sighting along the outlying ridges of the woods’.

Once again, the hut is occupied by a large portion of emptiness and two warm, familiar bodies.

—

“ _Tzuyu_.”

“I don’t remember allowing you to address me as such.” Much to her dismay, Tzuyu has a turn-off attitude. 

Luckily, diffusing a bomb is one of her many specialties. “Maybe you should stop addressing me as ‘ _intruder_ ’ and we’ll reach an agreement.” 

Even Tzuyu admits there’s a line that isn’t to be crossed when it comes to certain things, chewing at her inner lip as guilt builds up her spine.

“Apparently, according to your superior, we’ll be closely attached from this day forward. I think it’s only reasonable we address one another as acquaintances.” The sorceress’ hand reaches for Tzuyu’s. Perhaps in an attempt for a handshake symbolising a short-lived truce. “I’m Nayeon.”

Tzuyu’s hesitant at first, but she’s reminded of the possibilities through a single - or the only - vessel they have ever come across from the outside world. 

The woman who had crossed unimaginable borders.

And Tzuyu’s her supposed caretaker.

“Chou Tzuyu.” 

—

As Nayeon’s hand grasps Tzuyu’s into a firm shake, she figures planning her next move would prove to involve the slightest of tweaks to a well-oiled engine.

And what would be a better place to poison a thriving tree than at the very roots?

—

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2 is out :)   
> Updates will.. not be regular, but thank you for reading so far 
> 
> Twitter: sugarsanayeonie


	3. Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dahyun, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu go on a strange mission  
> Nayeon tags along and remembers the past

—

When a familiar face visits her early at dawn the following day, it doesn’t take much for Nayeon to figure out that it’ll be hard to find some precious time alone. 

Nayeon lets out a sigh as she lays back on the hardwood flooring, a book shadowing her face at an arm’s length as she attempts to decipher its miniscule inscriptions. 

It’s her fourth day in a new realm and the sorceress has yet to find a means of magical communication through to her homeland.

Not that anybody ever cared for her. Or came looking for her since her disappearance. She would’ve known if anybody had tried.

Sorcerers aren’t known for being ones of selflessness, let alone the Greats, the ultimate rulers of her former home. 

Being disposable to the Greats came with the job as an esteemed user of such advanced witchcraft, and Nayeon had simply accepted this. Of course, during her time here, the repercussions had her scoffing on how naive her past self was. 

Her mind comes to a halt as she notices Tzuyu studying her unmoving body laying flat among countless dust bunnies. 

“Care to tell me what you find so interesting?” 

Ignoring Nayeon’s questions seems to be a recurring theme with Tzuyu. “Get up. We’re going somewhere.” 

“Don’t I at least get a ‘ _good morning_ ’?” There’s an uncharacteristic pout in her tone, appearing to catch Tzuyu off guard. 

It’s quickly erased by the appearance of a signature smirk upon Nayeon. 

“Go change. I’m leaving if you aren’t outside in five minutes.” 

—

Nayeon wonders of the questionable system the cadets are held under, really. 

According to the archer’s words, the ‘work’ they’re being sent to do consists of one taking place in the literal middle of nowhere. Or that’s what it appears like to Nayeon. It’s safe to say she’s rather unaccustomed to digging up holes in the ground in hopes of searching for a supposed energy source. 

Dahyun, the eldest of the trio and proud tinkerer, had tracked readings from her makeshift device toward the centre of the southern wood, much to the protest of Chaeyoung as the trek proved to be physically exhausting. 

Now they’re stood atop the depression just before a valley stretching miles in length as trees mask the bare land cascading into gradients of yellows and greens.

The view’s honestly enough to take Nayeon’s breath away, if it hadn’t already been stolen by the amount of cardio it took to get up there in the first place. To nobody’s surprise, the cadets huddling in an attempt to seed a plan are breathing just fine.

—

Tzuyu would be lying if she isn’t as confused by the urgency of the mission as her friends. Being directly summoned by the captain once didn’t end up in a good place the first time, however the second? In general, Tzuyu just thought she was having a bad week.

Chaeyoung takes a leaning peek into the crumpled map resting in Dahyun’s palms. “Where to next?” 

Tzuyu’s eyes subconsciously drift to the sorceress in her peripheral vision. Pulling off a silent escape due to the lack of making her presence known would have been hard to miss. 

Rather bemused by Nayeon’s heavy breathing, she figures the woman’s too out of shape to bolt in another direction or even have the slightest clue to where she was going.

Travelling eyes then land on the sorceress’ lifted shirt as she stretches her arms to the sky, slightly revealing a set of pale, toned abs, contradicting Tzuyu’s previous assumptions.

She brings her attention back to her friends before Nayeon notices.

The device’s tiny bar clipped on the pocket above Dahyun’s left chest begins to spin clockwise in a subtle motion. “Captain Park said it should be around this area.”

Each cadet takes a scan around the surroundings for the sight of any unusual happenings. What they’re greeted by are the same type of combination made up of bark and green. 

Although to anybody’s eye their environment seems identical to any other greenery they’ve seen so far during the trek, a brisk wind makes the hairs on Tzuyu’s forearm stand straight. Filtering in the scene, she’s not entirely sure the shot of adrenaline coursing through her veins is a flight-or-fight response.

As they each chose their respective ground, Tzuyu takes two shovels and hands one to the bedraggled sorceress. “Start digging.”

“What exactly are we digging for?”

“I already told you. There’s a significant amount of energy in this area. Of what we’re not sure of yet.” Rolling up her sleeves, the archer sets down her quiver and begins to touch dirt with the shovel. 

Doing a fair share of gardening, Nayeon takes it upon herself to do more of the heavy lifting compared with the trio, digging more than just a few holes. Strangely, it's as though her efforts go wasted as the sun had dripped its way down the horizon, melted sweat resting on each of the wanderers’ foreheads.

“What the _hell_ are we looking for?” Anybody could tell through Nayeon’s furrowed brows and whitened knuckles clutching a dirtied shovel, that she’s _pissed_ off. “We have been at this for _hours_ , can you not tell? Your precious superiors have led us on a _purposeless_ expedition.”

The venomous tone slipping from her mouth doesn’t receive a worthy reply, hanging in an empty void. That is until Chaeyoung steps up to the plate. “You are in no place to speak so vile of our Captain’s orders.” 

All in all, Chaeyoung is a loyal person, thus integrating such a quality into her ambitions. Having authority figures in her life always resulted in the best for her, whether that a personal value or not, she’d always respected them to an extent. 

She believes there’s no reason Captain Park would send them on an unrewarding job at all. There must be _something_ that they’re missing.

“It doesn’t matter what we _didn’t_ find,” Tzuyu stations herself in between the quarrelling duo, disintegrating the line of fire aimed toward one another. “Captain Park is expecting us to report back before dusk. It is better if we leave now to avoid an unnecessary setback.” 

Chaeyoung holds back a protest but it proves to be difficult as Nayeon throws a devilish smirk with her tongue jutting out her front teeth. Clenching her jaw, she realises how unsettling Dahyun’s silence has been since their hike, neck craning toward the girl as she crouches with her back facing the group.

“Dubs?” Her callout grabs attention from the sorceress and the archer, who shoot matching looks at the person in question.

Crowding around her, Tzuyu’s eyes widen at the sight before her. 

A symbol; A crest of pure light illuminates most of the grass surrounding it in hues of amber, an abstract similarity stands in the form of carvings based on illustrations seen in children’s books she’s read during her childhood in the camp, interpreting myths of ancient gods and goddesses the Elder Plane had once believed in.  
However Tzuyu felt as if there was a much recent connection to the crest. 

“Is that it? Is that _thing_ related to the readings?” Chaeyoung is a significant distance away from the anomaly, chest rising and falling rather sporadically in alarmed scepticism. “When the hell did _that_ get there?”

“It’s been here for quite a while,” Dahyun fails to hint at a smile in her voice, clearly fascinated with the strange phenomenon. The dial on her device begins to spin erratically, whirring increasing in pitch as it does so. “It seems as if its appearance lined up with the near absence of the sun.”

“The sunset?”

“Possibly. Earlier, the device hadn’t so much as reacted to the energy source. As if something had _disabled_ it from activating.” Dahyun conveys with a quill in hand, noting down scribbles on a pad. “Either that or this is no ordinary _energy source_. It’s something we have yet to even comprehend.”

On one hand, Nayeon could see this as a possible diversion, however if not for the splintering feeling on her shoulder manifesting into an insufferable burning sensation highlighting the outlines of her mark into the exact shade of orange, she would’ve so much as planned her leverage. 

The scream she let out is ear-piercing. Clutching her shoulder, beams of amber leak through the skin of her hands as she accepts the weight buckling into her knees and hitting the grass with a muted thud. At this point, the numbness climbs up her weakened body to the temples of her head, infinitely blurring her vision into dulled colors.

The last thing she’s able to make out is somebody running and clutching her sides. 

Her name falls a single time from their lips.

—

_Mina paces in the hallways, heels clacking with every anxious step she takes as she waits for Nayeon. The woman has her ways with words, a powerful tool in war is persuasion after all. And Nayeon’s blade cuts especially deep. A sharp tongue paired with a powerful mind is never one to mess with. The sorceress truly had everyone by their own necks._

_The large doors burst outward, hinges creaking loudly as it echoes throughout the heightened marble pillars, bouncing about the space between the patterned walls adorned with only the shadows as a lone decoration._

_Nayeon steps out, huffing a controlled breath as she stomps past the woman in the corridor. Mina pauses her with a hand to her tightened wrist._

_“What did they say?” It’s obvious from the way Nayeon draws her lips in a line, face void of showing any emotion._

_She lost._

_“They’re fools.” Despite her hardened features, her words are soft-spoken. Defeated. “All of them.”_

_“Don’t think about them, Nayeon. We can work through this in other ways.” Mina was one for the path of life, one where everyone would win. But Nayeon’s ambitious, heavily so that she was afraid she’d bring Mina down in the process. Their values had dismounted in numerous fallouts._

_But they never strayed from each others’ side._

_“That was all I had left. The Greats exploit every one of our soldiers as if they’re disposable. Our resources are being thrown away in lowly attempts to scavenge ground. We’re losing the war, Mitang, and they are too blind to see that.”_

—

Tzuyu knocks first, just to be sure. Surely, a woman needs her privacy after a drastic faint. Originally, they’d taken her to the campground’s clinic post. Her vitals were told to be fine, as well as no signs of possible damage to her head. As soon as she’d been given the go-ahead from Captain Park, she’d brought Nayeon back to her hut. 

Truth be told, the three cadets had made an agreement not to discuss the anomaly in the woods, having described Nayeon’s condition as a ‘ _nasty slip in the mud_ ’, also at the expense of returning empty-handed. 

The first thing she was taught in the camp was how to properly disarm a soldier, _not_ how to comfort a potential enemy. Ultimately, this is something she should consider as a crucial part of her training. Of sorts. Taking care of others’ well being is just as important as looking after a prisoner - if she could even call her that anymore.

And Nayeon is human above everything else, she admits that much. Tzuyu couldn’t ignore that.

Her visit is soon answered by the sorceress’ open door, standing lazily by the frame as she shoots a half-smile - one lacking its usual bite - ushering the girl inside. 

It’s painfully awkward. Gauging Nayeon’s quarters, she observes the small adjustments made to the hut during her stay. The woman has seemed to move a few pieces of furniture off to the side, clearing up a large space in the centre of the room. In the corners stand a few potted plants that Tzuyu had never seen before, blooming to its fullest as they bring in life into the abode.

“You’ve redecorated.”

“Your people lack taste in interior design.” Normally a comment like that passing from Nayeon would’ve come with a spiteful attitude from what Tzuyu’s been presented with in their short time together. Instead a moment goes by with no other exchanges. 

The sorceress fiddles with the hem of her shirt as she returns to her bed, feet wiggling at the foot of the mattress. Her refusal to make eye contact only makes Tzuyu stir up light conversation or at least, one that didn’t involve hostility.

“Maybe so.” Small talk isn’t a significant attribute of hers. Rather, it reminds Tzuyu of earlier times of when she’d first tried to befriend other trainees at the camp. They never went as well as she’d hoped. It wasn’t that she wasn’t approachable, the others just hadn’t found her interesting enough to engage in conversation with. She was just a shy kid. What could you do about that?

That phase hadn’t lasted long, thanks to Dahyun and Chaeyoung. Unknowingly, the two had brought her out of her shell, helping her in more ways than she’s willing to show. 

“How was your life before you.. got here?” So Tzuyu tries a little bit more.

A dry laugh escapes Nayeon’s lips. “Oh? I was certain you’d be at my throat by now.” 

The rebuttal is quick. “There’s no benefit in an argument. It serves nobody well.” 

“I beg to differ.” Nayeon takes a minute to study the fine lines of her palms. The very same ones she used to bring unkempt chaos at its worst, and at its best, the end of great suffering. “Not everybody takes criticism well. Sometimes disagreements bring out the best in a person.”

Nayeon knows this best. At the climax of her work, she was a highly respected individual.   
It took her a plundering downfall to be deprived of all that glory.

“Is that what ended you up in the Elder Plane?” Tzuyu should’ve sugar coated that a little, but in her eyes, Nayeon would’ve probably seen through it in a snap. 

“If I happen to give you an answer, you’re going to run off and tell your Captain, aren’t you?” Short and blunt. Tzuyu’s far from shocked.

“And that would stop you from responding?” Tzuyu finds herself in the line of Nayeon’s scrutinizing gaze - a little too dark for comfort - before the woman hums low in satisfaction. 

Tzuyu thinks the woman has a talent for making people feel like they don’t exist in a room. Because as Nayeon gets up and walks into the middle of the room, her hands drag excruciatingly slow up the flimsy buttons of her shirt, starting to unbutton them from the top. Threatening to slip off her pale shoulders, the loose fabric hangs just below Nayeon’s exposed collarbone.

“I-I think this is highly inappropriate.” Tzuyu’s throat feels as if it's drying up. Swallowing, she tries to moisten it up. Whereas Nayeon takes note of the obvious embarrassment in Tzuyu’s voice, stopping her undressing to peek over her shoulder at the flustered cadet. 

“It’s my mark.” The foreign symbol wraps around her collarbone to the back of her left shoulder. An exact replica to the one they’d crossed in the woods. “It was given to me by my superiors, known as _the Greats_. This is their brand.”

At the moment it glistened an inky black, a contrast to the glowing, bright amber they’d witnessed the other day. Each curve branched off into intricate fractals, ends spiralling into thin tails. 

“You can touch if you’d like.”

Had it come from a stranger, the request would have put Tzuyu off. Unexpectedly, she comes forward out of curiosity and runs the pad of her fingers to faintly trace the ink.

“It’s what ties every one of us all together.”

Nayeon’s cold. The skin of her shoulder is icy to the touch, but not frail. Her thumb subconsciously places a bit of pressure nearing the blackened centre of the symbol, earning a subtle gasp from Nayeon.

Tzuyu immediately retracts her hand, snapping herself out of an alluring trance. “Sorry, is it uncomfortable?” 

“It hasn’t stopped stinging since the incident yesterday.” Nayeon hisses as she pulls the fabric of her shirt back up to cover the ink.

“We have medics-”

“No. They wouldn’t know a thing about this. It’s purely a matter of magic and out of your hands.”

_Magic_. There it is again. A slap in the face toward the reality that Tzuyu had _thought_ she’s familiar with, turned out to be something completely different. And all because a woman draped in fine robes was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

She should’ve known that the people were hiding things from the children of the camp in hopes of trying to preserve an innocence that was desired. Maybe in ways to erase some sort of past, or long-lost history. Either way, welling on such wouldn’t exactly ease her current state of mind. Having to take in so much in a span of a week diminishes Tzuyu’s ability to conjure proper thoughts.

Maybe that’s why she feels the blood pumping underneath her skin, wanting to prove that she isn’t as oblivious as they’re taught to be. That she isn’t going to stand by with questions left unanswered, or empty trails left undiscovered. 

“I want to help.”

—

_“Do you know what true power is?”_

_Nayeon had every right to think ill of the sorcerers that took away Mina from her. Her hours were long, spellcasting relentless. The tinges on the edges and sides of her fingers were blistered and red, boiling rocks beneath the cauldron only acting up not only due to the temperature of the coals, but the igniting rage sizzling at the Nayeon's very core._

_She was going to bring her back. No matter what._

—

The riverbed runs drier today, Chaeyoung notices. 

It had taken them less time to scope out the area they’d last visited. By Tzuyu’s request, Dahyun and Chaeyoung weave their way past thickened shrubbery, ending up on the same incline toward a deep valley. 

“There’s nothing here.” Dahyun sighs dejectedly, taking out her device as she observes the dial. Nothing.

It’s as if a tornado had swept away any trace of the engraved emblem left behind in its wake. Unsheathing her sword, Chaeyoung swipes away a remainder of leaves in the original position of the crest. 

It worries her that in so little time, they were able to find not only an intruder, but other abnormalities in the Elder Plane. It all seems like too much of a coincidence to Chaeyoung. 

Higher powers, almighty beings. How much of it is true? How much has she been missing out on by hiding inside the sheltered plains?

“Dubs..”

“Did you find something?” Dahyun responds to Chaeyoung’s voice a few feet away, only for a sinking feeling in her stomach to surface. 

A surge of light comes bounding out from the ground, the shockwave sending Chaeyoung flying backwards. 

“Chaeyoung!” Regaining her ground, Dahyun lurches toward her friend who’s lying on her side unmoving. One last glance at the source of the sudden force reveals a blinding streak shooting high into the skies. 

As her eyes adjust from the brightness, they laid on Chaeyoung, breathing shallowly while Dahyun rubs a careful thumb on her cheek. 

She succumbs to the thrumming manifesting in her temples, incessant dread rising up the pits of her abdomen while her surroundings darken. 

“Stay with me, Chaeng.”

And Dahyun runs. Cradled in her arms, her best friend. It’s moist down the side of her pale face as tears uncontrollably trickle from glossy lids.

—

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 is out! :) 
> 
> Thanks for reading <3


	4. The Similarities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tzuyu tries to trust  
> Dahyun and Chaeyoung get lost, but not really  
> Nayeon is conflicted

* * *

A particular favourite of Tzuyu’s is the many events of her home. No, not their training evaluations or combat related activities that Captain Park likes to hold every month or so, but rather the festivals held in her village particularly, one around the corner of autumn.

However Tzuyu always chooses to prioritise her training, not wanting to fall behind among her physically stronger peers, at the expense of missing these events more than a few times. Thankfully, Dahyun and Chaeyoung never forget to leave one-of-a-kind tokens and little gadgets from the stalls’ games on top of her mattress for her, which she silently appreciates.

A golden opportunity is brought to life when she’s reminded of fireflies buzzing amongst the trees, encasing themselves in a shelter of light so translucent you’d miss it if you don’t take a closer look. More so she’s familiar with the waters of the village lake, sprinkled with a mix of colored petals gently guided by the ripples, symbolising a returning feeling in Tzuyu’s person. 

And she misses it.

Unfortunately for her, she’s stuck babysitting a ticking time bomb of a sorceress, both mutually searching for their own answers under a temporary truce. On a much questionably beneficial side to her mission, the townsfolk don’t seem to be disturbed by the presence of the out-of-the-blue ‘villager’ as the two stroll casually in the town square. 

This wasn’t _technically_ what Tzuyu had in mind when she’d said she wanted to help. Nayeon had concluded to her that if Tzuyu were to gain a better understanding of what they’re dealing with, she’d need to be exposed to their surroundings. Quite obviously, Tzuyu was opposed to this at first, skeptical of the cunning racing in her veins. Nayeon was quick to object with a sly smile, assuring her that she’d be in Tzuyu’s observing distance at all times. To add, Nayeon had guilt-tripped with the ‘ _prisoner card_ ’, complaining that the cabin was indeed getting extremely claustrophobic. 

And with that, a wary Tzuyu lingers close behind the curious sorceress along the trails entering her village. Her home. Tzuyu’s immediately consumed by the autumn wind, threading its way through her brown untied locks. She guesses Nayeon feels it too, observing the way her body falters in a slight shiver. Then Tzuyu’s breath hitches at the sight of lanterns glowing shades of amber as they’re hung from doorways of houses, tall shrubbery and reddened branches. 

And as ecstatic towns children group together and swarm their way toward the stalls decorated in white drapes with little trinkets and mementos, something blooms in her chest. A tinge of hope. Perhaps, the missing childhood she’d pushed away and refused for so long. 

Instruments fill her ears, beautiful melodies with hidden meanings, hidden memories. The lightness of the music, enough to uncover the toughest of warriors, allows a fragility deep inside Tzuyu to resurface for a split second. A commoner's tune only mothers would sing to their kids in the perished night, awakening them to its song at the earliest of dawn.

Tzuyu’s grown since then. Not just physically, but other things have changed. Regrets aren’t things Tzuyu likes to keep around. They linger. And likely never retreat.

“Tzuyu, what is this?” Nayeon had gone ahead to one of the bigger stalls, nearest to where they’d come from. Apparently, she managed to snatch up a tiny wooden carving of an insect. A lightning bug to be exact. Showing it off to the cadet with a humored glint in her eye, Tzuyu inspects the work’s details. Except her eyes widen in dramaticized horror as she doesn’t recall gifting the sorceress any sort of money.

“Nayeon, put that back please. You haven’t paid for it.” Tzuyu nudges the figurine deeper into the sorceress’ grasp, a form of encouragement to return the stolen item. Scoffing in frustration, Nayeon’s once elated expression forcefully drops into a scowl.

It’s the first time Tzuyu witnesses this side of Nayeon. An irksome stubbornness, along with a display of.. _childishness_. 

She may have been caught in the act, as Nayeon comments, “What are you _smiling_ at?” With an appalled look on her face, brows scrunched in dismay.

“Nothing.” Tzuyu feels a sudden urge to suppress any emotion resembling a grin, however she can’t help it when the sorceress certainly never fails to amuse her in such minor situations. “There’s plenty to do here. What would enable you in terms of learning about our culture?” Changing the subject, her tone naturally returns to one of practiced professionalism.

“You tell me, Chou.” Nayeon swiftly counters, scanning the lively scene before them. Everything appears out of the ordinary for Nayeon. 

Festivals and feasts of sorts such as these were heavily reserved for those _deserving_ of it. Unlike the freedom of which these villagers are graced with to sell goods and earn profit from them, those just trying to get by rarely got the chance to due to the constant strict patrol of higher powers. There was an obvious division between the powerful and those lacking, and Nayeon had stood as a bystander in their midst, keeping tabs on every dispute and conflict during an anarchic clash all the while saving herself a seat at the high table.

Steadying herself, Nayeon mindlessly frees herself from intrusive thoughts as she notices Tzuyu throwing a cautious glance at the silence. 

Tzuyu begins to lead the way, stopping by the stall in which Nayeon supposedly stole the statuette from and returning, politely apologising on her behalf. Turning to the sorceress, a neutral gaze is set upon Nayeon. “Do not complain once we arrive.” 

“That entirely depends on where you are taking me.” Nayeon doesn’t expect anything else from the archer. 

* * *

Their feet shuffle against the shoots of grass sprouting a blueish green, each step tickling Nayeon’s ankles as they tread amongst an open field. Strange, she thinks, observing how the branches of thinned wood twindle into a filter for the dimming light as a moon rises into view. It feels like a safe space, a haven for a sacred treasure. Her bewilderment is soon replaced with hesitation as Tzuyu leads her to a pond. It glows vibrant, shimmering with every ripple in the making. And they’re not the only ones appreciating it, villagers of differing ages take places in duos and trios, as they keep one another in their own bubbles.

She watches Tzuyu wordlessly studying the area, only to take a spot on the grass a small distance from the pond. Nayeon stands her ground, still attentive of her unfamiliar surroundings. 

The many villagers in the area chatter endlessly, and in Nayeon’s perspective, strings of euphoric laughter only expose themselves to threats. In fact, envy lies in her very gaze. But she would never admit that. 

What she _could_ somehow admit is how lovely the moon shines, slightly straining her eyes but too alluring to break away from. She notices Tzuyu staring at it too. In abundant contemplation, at that. It dawns on her that she’d never fully understand the girl if she tried with the best of her ability. There is no logic to that conclusion. Just a _feeling_.

“You never told me the reason for your compliance.” Clinging onto the emptiness of air, Nayeon’s words evaporate.

Tzuyu manages to get a hold of them. “I have none. I simply want to understand.” 

Nayeon indeed doesn’t know what to make of such a vague answer. On paper, it would appear Nayeon had roped a civilian into her scheme for vengeance, or a chance for redemption. It’s not righteous on her part, and she could care less. It’s just what needs to be done. But there are two sides of every coin.

It’s not hard to deduce if one were to take more than just a glance. In reality, the two are far more similar than they are unalike. Nayeon realises this. Much earlier, to be precise.

“Would you trust me? Enough to endanger your own life?” 

* * *

Patrolling ought to be the result of drawing the short end of the stick in Sana’s opinion. Sure it’s protocol, but where’s the point if there isn’t any war? It’s nothing but peaceful skies and clear waters, the only minor disruption being the lovely lady that had stumbled into their hospitality a few days ago.

She’d discussed this numerous times with Momo. Often disagreeing with an unwelcome visit from a foreign land, Sana thought of it as a game-changer.

“But _think_ about it.” 

“I assure you I have.” Momo sighs heftily. 

“What if Dahyun could craft a machine for the sole purpose of _washing garments_?” Her eyes lit up at the idea.

“No offense, but that sounds ridiculous, Sana.” Her eyes are elsewhere, searching in the deep woods. They’re not too far from the camp, but it’s quite a distance enough for somebody inexperienced to lose their way. Something twists in her gut.

“How long have they been gone?” Sana catches on to her girlfriend’s worried look, leaving her post and swivelling her torso to look around as well. “Dahyun and Chaeng?”

“A few hours. They were supposed to be back before dusk.” The fret laced in Momo’s tone presses Sana to stagger. It’s eerily silent, save for the chirping crickets harmonizing with the rustling of dry branches.

“Alert the Captain.” 

* * *

Her feet are cold. Freezing. Knees gritting in an uncomfortable position, possibly for way too long, Chaeyoung has trouble opening her lids. As if a solid weight presses them shut. Her back’s hot. She’s sweating. But it feels like she’d rested for ages. A reassuring hand takes in her own in a warm embrace. 

Dahyun.

_Dahyun?_

She’s thoroughly parched. Reading her mind, Dahyun gently shakes the girl to get her up. As she does, Dahyun presses her lips against a jug she’d brought along with her, and in it, water. Eyes barely shut, Chaeyoung hears echoed clattering and showers of downpour, catching brief shadows leaking into her vision. She gauges that they’re in a closed space. An abandoned structure? How did they even end up here? 

“I’m sorry.” All Chaeyoung utters. The first words she lets out after being unconscious for 4 hours straight, are ones of apology.

Dahyun’s never felt like this before. Eyes shooting back to the girl laid upon a cluster of wet vines - makeshift of her own - and tiny pebbles, her blood boils. “What happened wasn’t your fault.” Dahyun seethes. But the anger isn’t directed at Chaeyoung. “You got hurt.”

Considering she now feels a numbing pain searing into her spine as she hisses in irritation when she’d just shifted her weight, it had _not_ subsided. Another factor in their situation counters the discomfort, however. At first she’d thought Dahyun had transported her to a relatively massive cave. With further examination, it appears to be a more complex structure, one with peculiar engravings and characters. As her eyes adjust to the weak lighting, she makes out multiple patterns to the architecture. And she’s plenty sure that these _greatly_ differ from the Elder Plane’s traditional methods of construction.

“This was the only place I could get to before it’d started to rain.” Dahyun points out, also lost in the same wonder Chaeyoung is in. “Strange isn’t it?”

“Not only that,” Chaeyoung’s breath stills. Anticipation builds as Dahyun listens. “It’s completely _foreign_. Whomever made this had _far more_ advanced knowledge of architecture.” There’s no mistake that within all the fascination strikes horror.

“I’m beginning to see a similarity in all of these occurrences so far.” On the contrary, Dahyun’s astonishment sees through as she slings her knapsack enthusiastically over her shoulder. “Ancient structures aren’t going to explore themselves.”

* * *

“ _Would you trust me? Enough to endanger your own life?_ ” 

Tzuyu doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t react. 

“Risking my life will have little to do with the trust I’d have in you.” 

Tzuyu doesn’t miss the quick upturn on Nayeon’s lips. “And by that you mean?” It’s Nayeon’s turn to crouch down, knees only levelling with Tzuyu’s as she remains sitting unbothered. “For _this_ to work, we’ll need to cooperate with one another.”

Tzuyu’s fairly certain she’s getting _nowhere_ in terms of finding anything out about the sorceress. Or the outside world. How could she find no difficulties when setting a deal with someone so obviously conniving? Her fear, in truth, manifests where she’d least like it to be. The fact that there’s a chance she’d unknowingly compromise everything she’d worked for just because she found it hard to put even the slightest bit of trust in a total stranger.

Does she even know what she’s doing? Is there a set plan? How could she even allow herself to make a decision so impulsively? And what would happen if this all backfired on her?

“There’s no guarantee that you _wouldn’t_ run off when you see an opportunity.” The pause afterwards swells between them as Nayeon takes a moment to phrase out a sentence.

Then there’s pitters. Pitters which turn into hardening patters. Patters which cluster into thunderous rainfall. And everyone retreats to the thickest trunk nearest to them. An oak anchored by its persistent roots. Crowds of disappointed villagers sound out tuts and disheartened murmurs, the two standing indifferent in soaked garments.

“ _Perfect_. Absolutely _perfect_.” Sarcasm exudes from Nayeon’s voice. Clearly nothing is going her way today. Or for the past _week_ for that matter. Tzuyu can almost taste the bitterness. At this point she should feel bad for her, as any other being with empathy should. And she does. Watching the sorceress wring the loose ends of her drenched blouse in disgust, it’s about time Tzuyu had tried to make her stay less.. _tormenting_. 

* * *

The downpour becomes muffled noise when Tzuyu shuts the door to her homely hut. Not sparing a second of getting rid of her boots which she’d have ready to hang up in the morning - hopefully when the storm passes. 

“Don’t you think staying there would’ve been better?” Nayeon shivers, hands rubbing her arms while taking a good look at her humble place. 

“If you’re willing to catch a cold, then be my guest.” 

Nayeon sees Tzuyu crouch down to manually light a fire for the miniature stove. Genuinely baffled by the gesture, Nayeon just stands awkwardly in a corner. As ironic as it sounds, she respects boundaries. 

“There’s a fresh towel by the sink. I’ll lend you some clothes after you shower.” Had the girl not offered, Nayeon wouldn’t do anything but dry her clothes off with the help of natural air which, from what Tzuyu had mentioned before, would result in a nasty cold.

Relieved, Nayeon wordlessly strides to the bathing area of the hut - it sounds less than what it’s actually like; a person-sized space wide enough to enable effective self-washing - and hastily gets rid of the clothes stuck onto her skin.

Meanwhile, Tzuyu bathes in the sounds of rain upon her wooden porch and the aroma of fried beans mixed in with a variety of vegetables - a balanced diet is always an important factor as a cadet. It’s a family recipe, one that Tzuyu will carry with her until the day she perishes. Which could actually be quite soon, depending on how much is at stake if she does initially go on with the sorceress’ plans.

If it ends badly, she’d for sure disappoint Captain Park. Maybe even the people she’d hold a little tighter, like Chaeyoung and Dahyun. And that could inevitably be her downfall. The need to please those around her. Stepping her own foot back to allow other people to get ahead.

And as impractical as the method to do so sounds, there lies a sliver of which Tzuyu hopes to prove _herself_ wrong.

By the time Tzuyu’s done with the meal, Nayeon steps into the dining area while leaving a trail of droplets in her wake. 

“Please clean that up.” She tosses a few rags at a towel-clad Nayeon, who appears rather offended by this. Tzuyu resumes placing two dinners on the table, ready to eat. “Leave your dirty clothes in the basket.”

Nayeon almost mumbles a ‘ _Yes, ma’am_ ’ at the bossy tone the cadet exhibits. Scoffing, she throws on a new pair of the exact same white garments and trousers, discovering that it’s slightly bigger due to the difference in height. “That looks.. _tasty_.” Nayeon isn’t lying, though her voice shows uncertainty. Tzuyu merely stares blankly.

“Eat up.”

“This is a familiar scenario.” Nayeon quips through a mouthful. 

Noticing the odd exchange ending in an abrupt manner, she figures making small talk isn’t favourable to the girl sitting across from her with knees hugged against her chest, chewing and filling up her cheek. _Cute_.

“Is this your way to bed with me?”

Tzuyu’s eyebrows raising a full inch, mid-chew has got to be the first time Nayeon’s seen more than a hint of expression on her face. She feels quite proud of it, sporting a glamorous smirk. Except for the fact that she’s now glaring daggers into Nayeon’s skull. 

What she _didn’t_ expect is that her features slowly.. _soften_. 

Clearing her throat, Tzuyu swallows a bite before uttering words onto the table. “Listen. I.. have to apologise.”

Nayeon’s interest is definitely piqued.

“For the treatment I’ve been giving you since you came here.” Tzuyu fiddles with the carvings on her spoon. “I’m unsure if I can _entirely_ trust you.. yet. And like you said earlier, cooperation is something to be valued in this agreement.”

A hidden emotion seeps its way into Tzuyu’s words, maybe even Nayeon acknowledges it. “I want to know _more_. I want to be _sure_ of something for once.”

Nayeon’s having a hard time piecing things together. “I can’t promise you that you’ll find answers.” So she goes with a safe, honest reply.

“But you can show me.” Tzuyu counters. Maybe _excitedly_ at that, if Nayeon reads the sparkle in her eyes right. 

And here lies a dilemma. One at Nayeon’s play. Teetering to one side, her powerful title could be hers to regain, one holding unlimited might and force. Returning to her homeland would be a piece of cake with inside help. Glory that could all be hers, and she’d pretend like nothing had ever happened.

“Indeed, I can.” It’s a genuine smile. One from Nayeon that’s directed at the most unlikely of people. Her lack of a lingering gaze says otherwise.

And it’s there she decides. 

* * *

_The fireplace crackles with little consideration to the penetrating winters just beyond the bleak stone walls.  
One sorceress wrapped in the loving arms of the other while they sit knees folded on a wide, fur sofa. Nothing but a single thought racing through both of their minds in an ear-splitting melody._

__

_“How can you be so sure of yourself?” The first says into the latter’s neck, tightly gripping the sorceress’ robes in her hand. “What if it doesn’t work?”_

__

_”Have you no faith in me?” It’s meant to be taken as a joke, but the former has yet to laugh. “I will succeed.” Rubbing the small of her back with dainty fingers, Mina tries not to let tears escape the corners of her eyes._

__

_“I do not doubt your abilities, Nayeon. But the Greats are sole hosts of unpredictable power. Who knows what they’re truly capable of if they find out your intentions?”_

__

_“Then they’re clearly underestimating me. I won’t let them take away more than what they already had, Mina.” Their voices undertone the raging blizzard above their home, accompanying them, the slow thrum of their synchronized hearts._

__

_Lured in by the moment of intimacy, Mina guides Nayeon by the neck, pulling her in to close the distance between them. It’s deep, holding a meaning to a passionate secret only their bond would ever know. A goodbye before a deciding blow._

__

_They stay like that for the rest of the frigid night. Keeping snug with one another’s warmth in a safe haven. And all of Nayeon’s initial worries evaporate as she strokes Mina’s hair in unrushed patterns._

__

_Judgement day is only a few hours away, all Nayeon needs for preparation is the woman she loves underneath her touch._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 4 is kind of short, but here it is :)
> 
> Thanks for reading <3

**Author's Note:**

> Twitter: @sugarsanayeonie
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
